STRANGERS ♱ yellowjackets

23. god save the doomcoming queen

BUNNY SQUINTS HER OTHER EYE her hands feeling firm around the cool metal of the gun. She shifts slightly in her place, propping her forearm better on the hollow tree. Natalie observes the girl from her spot next to her, her eyes taking in every small move Bunny makes.

"Just like that. Now, deep breath in", Natalie instructs, her voice almost authoritative as she speaks, her eyes never leaving the girl next to her. Bunny's eyes are glued on the tin can set a slight distance away. The girl does as told, taking a deep breath in through her nose and blowing it out through her mouth. Bunny's finger lingers on the trigger as she squints her eye again, checking her aim. She takes the shot, the loud bang echoes through the forest as the tin can falls from the rock. Bunny grins slightly as she hits the target - that is the fifth can she has hit in a row.

"Good job", Natalie says proudly, smiling at the fallen can before glancing at her girlfriend again. Bunny pushes herself off the ground and clicks the safety on on the rifle, before brushing a piece of hair behind her ear. As the summer ended and there was a lot less sunlight, Bunny's hair darkened as well, bending into the more copper undertones the girl's light hair had.

The start of October was rough for Bunny, her chest heavy with bitterness as the calendar marked the day when she was supposed to start at Yale. Natalie tried her best to keep the girl's mind occupied, so she wouldn't start spiraling too much. That's why the older girl had promised to teach Bunny how to shoot, to keep her mind away from the ivy-covered walls of the dream school she had to let go of.

"That was kinda fun", Bunny says with a smile, tightening her ponytail as she looks in the direction where the can used to stand. Natalie shrugs as she pushes herself off the ground as well, "When you're shooting tin cans - yeah, for sure."

Bunny glances at the blonde, before grabbing the gun and pushing herself off the ground with its help. "Thanks for teaching me", the girl thanks, offering a hand to Nat. Natalie takes it and lets Bunny help pull herself from the ground. "Anytime", the girl says and smiles at the girl softly. Bunny leans in quickly, planting a soft and loving kiss on the older girl's lips before pulling away. Natalie groans as the kiss comes to a short end, "Oh, c'mon. We need to go back", Bunny scoffs and rolls her eyes at the girl.

"Why? It's not like they're waiting for us", Natalie says but follows her girlfriend as Bunny starts walking in the direction where they came from. Bunny gives Nat a pointed look, before turning her head back on the trail.

The two girls arrive at the cabin just in time for dinner, if you can call it that. The roasted maggots make Bunny's stomach turn a little, but she swallows her disgust alongside the worms. Her eyes wander to Jackie who is just sitting on the cabin floor next to her and stares into the fire.

"Jackie, you have to eat", Bunny says softly to the brunette. Jackie gives the girl a look, before shrugging, "Why?"

Shauna frowns as she and Bunny exchange glances, "Jax-"

"What does it matter, at this point", Jackie scoffs as she pushes her plate of maggots away from her. Bunny sighs as she decides to retreat from the upcoming fight she's sensing. But before anything can escalate Mari stands up from the floor, "Okay- I can't do this anymore."

As the girl returns with a jar of something dark and lumpy, Bunny makes a face. "What is that?", Coach Scott asks, matching Bunny's expression.

"It was some berries I was trying to save, but I think it might've turned into booze", Mari explains as she tries to open the lid to her mystery jar. Bunny still grimaces. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I could use a drink", Mari sighs.

"Do we think it's safe?", Tai scoffs.

"Do we care?", Coach Scott asks.

"I have a few more", Mari says, pointing to the small food cabin at the entrance to the attic. Jackie seems to be lost in thought as she looks at the jar, "If we have booze, let's have a party."